The battered South African public is bombarded with daily reports of brutal murders, hijackings, rapes, kidnappings and zillions of other bits of bad news from the media. One would think that people would turn away from yet more focus on crime.
Well, certainly not when the angle is refreshingly different and not sensationalized, but rather concise and useful communication directly from the police.

Compliments and congratulations are in order for this increasingly popular policing programme which is currently aired on SABC 2 on Mondays at 13:30. The programme was recently broadcast for the 50th time. The event was celebrated at the Video Studio at Swan’s Rest (formerly known as La Rochelle) in Centurion. The celebration was also a gesture of appreciation to all personnel involved in the production of the programme.

Police File started on SABC 2 in April 2003 and its aim was to increase public awareness of the goals and objectives of the SAPS.

Elize Viljoen, marketing executive of SABC 2, who attended the event said that the original hiccups and teething problems only served to strengthen the bond between the SABC and the highly talented production team working for the SAPS Publication and Audiovisual Media unit (PAM).

The purpose of Police File is essentially to gain the public’s support and participation in the fight against crime. The better communities understand the policies and strategic objectives of the SAPS, the greater the chance is that they will partake in crime prevention initiatives.

Police File focuses on crime prevention as well as the:

• broadcasting of information on wanted persons;
• broadcasting of information on missing persons;
• providing the public with crime prevention hints;
• broadcasting of information on serious incidents of crime, and
• providing feedback on the police’s successes in crime investigation.

Past research has shown that communities are reluctant to volunteer information to the police for fear of possible reprisal and victimization. Police File, therefore, fulfils an important role by giving the public an opportunity to become part of law enforcement, while remaining anonymous.

Investigating officers also benefit from this programme because it becomes one of their tools in crime investigation.

Police File has camera operators in all nine provinces who, and in collaboration with their communication heads, will be on top of the action in the provinces. This programme affords all the provinces the opportunity of broadcasting their service delivery successes, their best practices and their wanted and missing persons.

Since its first broadcast in April 2003 Police File has yielded good results, particularly with persons reported missing, as well as relevant information on crime. Some examples include information that was provided which led to the solving of the murder of a 10-year-old girl, information which led to the apprehension of suspects involved in the robbery and murder of a British citizen and the re-arrest of escapees from jail cells. Many successes have also been attained with information received on wanted persons.

Compiled by Mariëtte van Jaarsveld

Why an Internal Communication work session? Communication and Liaison Services knows how important it is for management and employees to have clear and simplified channels of communication. Therefore, an Internal Communication work session was held to look for improved and focused ways of communicating with our members.

The South African Police Service is governed by Policies, Standing Orders, Regulations and National Instructions. In order for the organization to run smoothly and effectively, it is imperative that all the employees understand the guidelines and instructions. Communication and Liaison Services is responsible for the dissemination of this vital information to all employees in the organization. It is their job to communicate effectively with more than 140 000 employees in different circumstances and work environments about all organizational matters that affect them.

Communication and Liaison Services is the vehicle through which information should be conveyed from management to employees. The only way for concerns and issues from the members’ side to be brought to management’s attention is through Internal Communication.

During the brainstorming session, the communication officers from the different provinces shared best practices, obstacles and suggestions for improvement in Internal Communication.

As Asst Comm Ngobeni, Head of Communication and Liaison Services, said: “It remains incumbent on us to establish platforms through which interactions between the two parties (management and employees) can be facilitated. Communication and Liaison Services, especially Internal Communication, stands in the centre of this process, thus indicating the important role it has to fulfil.